Band-cutter cutting machine



l 1,453,609 B. F. STOWELL BAND GUTTER CUTTING MACHINE .Mas-h. 1.922

Filed April 25,

192.1 2 sheets-Sheet 1 May 1, 1923. 1,453,609'.

I B. F. sTowr-:LL 1

BAND CUTTER CUYTTIG MACHINE Filed April 23, 1921 l'2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented May l, 1923.

BYRON r. srovrnnr...orsransrlnnn,Massacosnm'rs .essIGNoR rro 'rurz'rnit SAW' vAND=inecnrnn co. inc., orsrnrnerrE-LD,ti/mssecnnsnrrrs,niconronn'rron .or v

MASSACHUSETTS BAND-currar, CUTTING MACHINE;

Application filed Api'i1l23, 1921. Seiial No. 463,980.

To all w loom t 'may concern Be it known that `Ldrnor ESTO'WELL, a citizenl of the United `States of 'Amerie-a, andresident or' Springfield, in 'thecounty oi' Hampden and State o"Massacliusetts,"have invented new and useful vImprove'mei'itsiin Band-Cutter Cutting *Ma-chilies, of )which the following is a' speciiication.

y'This invention concerns n iachineryv `for Working metal, Wood orother material and especially relates t0 .means for effecting the engagement and separation ot-or relative motions between the material' to y'be Worked and an instrumentality "for" operating lupon the Imaterial, as Well aslto simple and improved means v:tor actuating theoperative instrumentality employed.

While the invention is useful' in connection with and may be embodied in'anymachinery in wvhich there is relative'motion oi approach or motion during Contact between the material Worked uponl andthe operative instrumentality 'of Whatever kind the latter' maybe, itihasherein rbeen illustrated by Way of example, fasl-'embo'diedvinfa 2machine of that typeivhere'in a band-saw is yutilized for the cutting of metal. Suchma- ChineS, as commonly constructed, comprise an endless saw `blade',*togetl1er With means Jfor supporting and 'for imparting operative 'movement thereto, a Work-vise or holder, vand means permitting relative movement'of the savv and Work holder, and `for permitting a regulatedt'eed of'ithe saw into the work.

ln any machine inwhich a material Working `instrumentalityA isbrought into contact with material for operating upon thezlatter, the Vproper pressurebetiveen'fthe Work and such instrumentality depends upon many Yfactors, of Which the hardness or toughness et theV material and the speed of'movement of the operative instrumentality 'may yloe cited as examples. Unless-adequate provision'bemade for `properly regulating such `working pressure, damaged Work or broken Atools` are almost certain to result, and although various attemptshave been'madeito provide fersu'cli regulatiom'as by the eniployment ofmechanically acting'feeds employing screws or gearing, the inherent characteristics ot such devices necessarily inhibit a delicate regulation of theieed,'=such as will care for unexpected variations' in any pressure.

'driving and guiding 'pulleys thereon,

y"When" `the operative instrumentality is a band-saw, certain ydifficulties lWhich are smet With'to some'v extent in all materiabvvorking machines are greatly accentuated. In tthe more practical forms of` such machines,

wherein the'tvork is 'held stationary While the saw' blade is f approached "thereto, it yis 'necessary to 'mountthe' savv and 'its guide and drive means,'together'vvithwauiiliary 'parts,"1'1p`on 'a movable'frame or support, Whi`ch,"with the parts carried thereby,is necessarily' of' considerablefweight', andthe Y,

problem of properly feeding theisavv-toavard 'theworll' Whercby"to' secure the desired loperative fpressureat lall times" is one Joffgreat diiiiculty. For example When in the -em- -ployment of such a savv,ianfeXtremlyhard material iis encountered,*av feed mechanism o'ffusual-ormand adjusted'for agive-n pressure may hold the savv s0 firmly-to the Work asto ruinfthe cuttingedgesofthe teeth, While on the other hand, if very soft-or tenacious metalv be encountered," the saw jm-ayr-be urged by -the usual'types 'dt feedtoitalre sodeepa'- cut as to strip its teeth. Thus, fin ei'th'er Vandfstrong 'devices` the diiiicultiesxcommonly experienced in connection vwith the maintenance :of the proper Working pressure-,be-

Vtvve'en a material-Workingtool' andfthe 'ma` and in particular Vto 'terial operated upon,

improve, strengthen and rvsimplify they 'construction anti operation of a bandfsa'wing machine Tothis end, ithev machine may comprise a swinging savv frame-having saw and gfor imparting movementto-suchdrive pulley, `head shaft'or other vsource of power may? be 4arrangedto.'actfdirectly upon an element of? fsaid pull-'ey `.or on aepart movingtherewith.

`a belt re'ceivingf'its-motionfrom?anover y y For securing'the desired automatic regulation oithe Workingfrpressure of the sam-such drive beltfma'y beso-arranged'as that a compon'ent -of the driving tensionv thereon'shall ltend to swing the-saw frame, togetherwithA i the saw blade, avvay from the Work. inT

creased'resistance attbe cutting edgeefthe Ivsaw, such'asfmay be occasioned by theeccurof the factors which determine the desired' rence of extremely liar-d` and resistant mate-"3 rial, yor by the biting'of Sthe` sanT too-,deeply into a relatively soft material, demands the application of greater driving force, and thus the component of force 'tending to lift the saw from the work will be increased and the pressure automatically relieved in substantially direct proportion to the resistance encountered.

A further object is to provide simple and improved means whereby the operative instrumentality, as for example a band saw, mayl be actuated in an efficient and reliable manner by means of a direct belt drive regardless et the position of adjustment of the saw-supporting frame.

As one, and a preferred, embodiment of means for attaining the desired results, that illustrated in the accompanying drawings may be employed. in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine illustrating the saw as in operative position, certain parte vbeing removed for -flearness of illustration;

F ig. 2 is an end eleva-tion to sor'iewhat larger scale ofthe mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 a detached end elevation illustrating details of a belt guiding pulley together with a pulley directing device associated therewith; and

Fig. 4lis a side `elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

The base of the machine is indicated' at 1, such base being in the form of a casting if desired, or constructed in Iany other suitable manner. At one end of the base, and at the upper portion thereof, are provided a pair of upstanding brackets 2, 3 respectively, such brackets providing the bearings 4, 5. Rotatably supported within the bearings 4, 5, is a shaft 6 which extends transversely across the upper portion of the base. yThe shaft 6 projects somewhat beyond these bearings and one end provided with a collar 7 fixed thereto in any suitable manner as for example by means of a set screw. The opposite end of the shaft il projects beyond the bearinget and has keyed thereto a collar 8.

Upon the upper surface of the base 1 is provided a wort.V supporting table 9 one end ot which is defined by a fixed clamping jaw 10. It cooperating and movable jaw 11 is arranged to slide lei tudinally of the work table toward and from the jaw 10 and for actuating' the. movable jay: l1 a screw threaded shaft 12 is provided. This shaft has threaded engage vnent with anopening in an element of 't k.aw 11 and inav be rotated tie y means of a hand wheel 13 or in any other desired manner.

fdnrroundmg the shaft 6 and between th bearings el, 5 is a sleeve member 14. such sleeve member having rigidly 'connected thereto or integral therewith an outstanding; arm 15. The arm 15 is ientinued upwardly vthat the axis of the shaft 19 lies in a predetermined relation to a radial plane of shaft 6, and inclined to work shaft 6, for instance so that the axis of the shaft 19 will intersect the axis of shaft 6 at an angle of about 7 03. Upon the lower portion of the shaft 19 is arranged to turn freely a. combined driving and guiding `wheel and pulley 20 for the saw, such pulley comprising the belt engaging element 20a and the saw engaging element 21, which elements may be separated by a radial flange 22.

Near its free extremity the frame niembcr 17 is provided with a suitable machined face 17a for the reception of a bracket 23, such bracket being provided with a stub shaft 24 arranged substantially parallel to the axis of shaft 19, and upon which is mounted a saw guiding wheel 25. At 26 is shown a band saw blade of usual construction which pas-ses around the wheel 25 and the element 21 of the pulley 20, whereby the saw blade is properly guided and driven. For ten'sioi'iing the saw blade, the bracket may be arranged for sliding adjustment longitudinally as permitted by hold-down guide screws 32 passing through longitudinal slots in bracket 23. li or adjustably positioning the Abracket itmay be provided with a rod 27 suitably connected thereto as by means of a bolt 28, such rod passing through a guide bracket 29 carried by the frame member 17 and being screw-threaded at its outer extren'iity for engagement by an `adjusting nut 30. Between the adjusting nut 30 and the bracket 29 is interposed a coil spring 31 which surrounds the rod 27, the tension of which may be varied by means of adjusting nut 30. By this arrangement the tension on the bracket 23 and the saw' may lbe adjusted without strain upon the screws 32, the stress being taken byi the fixed member 29.

For guiding the operative run of the saw adjacent the cutting point a pair of brackets 33, bil, are provided, such brackets being' adjustably secured to the iframe member 17 as by means of bolts 35. The brackets 33 and 34- serve to support adjustable members 36, 37 respectively upon which are carried pairs of guide rolls, as 38, 39, such rolls serving to guide the saw adjacent the cutting Pivoted upon iasaeoe a longitudinally extending rod 45. 46 is a weight slidable upon the rod 45 and pro` vided with a set screw 47 whereby it may be fixed in adjusted position. T o the collar 8 are secured a pair of oppositely extending bracket arms 48, 49 respectively, s uch bracket arms lbeing provided with openings therein in which are arranged freely turnable pivot pins 50, 51 respectively. These pivot pins as clearly indicated in Fig. 2 for example, are provided with open loops or hooks, such as 53 at their upper ends', and

are screw threaded at their lower'ends for engagement'by nuts, as 54, whereby they are secured against removal from the openings in their respective brackets. Engaging the hook members of each of the pins 50, 51, re- SpeCtiVely, is an opening 55 formed in a yoke frame 56, each such frame providing a pair of upstanding and substantially parallel arms such as 57." These arms, near their vupper ends, are provided with openings for the reception, of shafts such as 58, each shaft serving to support a freely turnable guide pulley such as 59, respectively. These pulleys are preferably provided with radial flanges at their edges although this is not essential. As thus .arranged and by reason of the fact that the openings 55 loosely engagegthe looped portions 53 of the pins 50, 51 and as the'latter turnl freely in the openings in brackets 48, 49, respectively, it is clear that'the pulleys 59, 60 are mounted for universal movement. Associated with one or both ofthe pulleys v59, 60, and lherein illustratedas applied to the pulley 59 (see Figs.` 3 and 4) is a pulley directing device comprising a framev of substantially inverted r4lil-sha-pe. 'This frame consists of the spaced side arms 61, 62 and the transverse member 63, the latter being provided with a slot or opening 64 therethrough. The arms 61, 62y are preferably provided with angularly disposedl extremities as indicatedat 65, Fig. 4, such extremilties being provided with openings through which extend bolts such as 66, 67 for securing them to the side members ofthe pulley supporting yokes.

vTo the collars 8 is-also secured the flange ymember 68,such 'member being provided with an outstanding lug 69 and with an ear 70 spaced therefrom. `lnternfiediate such lugand ear `theedge of the flange is provided 'with a lseries lof ratchet teeth 71.

a suitable bolt or pin 472, se-

` dog 74 which lies curedto .the base member of; the machinerie i a lever device 73, suchleverfdevice being M extremity 'with a pawl or between the ears 69,' 7:0 ,and is engageable under certainv circumstances with the ratchetrteeth'71. The lever -73 -is also provided with a longitudinal :borein provided at one which is slidably arranged a locking bolt 7 5,

such Ybolt beingmeans of a spring 76 seatedwithin the bore. The locking bolt at its outer extremity Imay be provided with a` suitably shaped end adapted toengage with either of a pair of slots or notches 77 formed in a'fiXed bracket 78 projecting from the machiney base. A

yhandle 79 may also be secured J to Athe `-lever 7B.` c i i At 80 there is indicated in `broken'lines a driving belt, such belt` engaging the guide pulleys 59, 60 and the belt aengaging `element 20a of thel saw `driving pulley 20. This 'driving belt `may be trained over a drive 4pulley upon an overhead shaft er over any suitable guide pulleys not shown and interposed y between and such power actuated pulley. As indicated in Fig. 1,the tension run of the driving belt passes over the pulley 59 in the the .guide pulleys 59, '60` normally `projected by direction of the arrow A( Withithis ari rangement it is evidentthat a 4certain coniponent of the driving tensionupon the belt 8O will tend to swing theiframe comprising the members 15,16, 17 in a clockwisedirec tion about the axis ofthe shaft 6 andk it is manifest that such movement of thel frame tends kto vremove the saw from engagement with the work heldbetween the clamping jaws 10,11. l'

`ln the normal operation of the machine,

the weight 46 will beso` adjusted upon the sufficient overbalancing i 'rod 45 as lto produce of the saw supporting frame and its asso elated parts to produce the desired working pressure between the edge ofthesaw blade and the material. As'the guide pulleys 59, 60 are arranged at substantially equal distances upon"opposite sides. of the vertical plane of the axis of shaft 6, it is evident that the tension of the driving belt and its opera-tive relationship to the pulley element 20 will be substantiallyl unchanged in allI posi` tions. ofthe saw frame. l l 1liWith the parts in the position indicated in Fig. `l, it is assumed that the saw has just completed its .cut through the material and flange 6 8 hasV engaged the dog 74 and has swung the lever 73 about its pivot soas to y12e it will be noticed that. the `ear 69 of `the the axis ot' shaft 6,. carrying the saw blade away from the work table and permitting the: removal from and reinsertion of work between the clamping jaws. As the trame is swung' upwardly, the ratchet teeth 7l successively engage the end of the dog 'la and thus serve to maintain the trame in its inoperative position until released by the operator. The ear '70 ot' the member 68 serves as a limiting' stop by engaging the hub portion 73a ot the lever Til whereby to limit upward `throw ot the saw carrying` trame.

1When the operator desires to bring the saw into Contact with the work he grasps the handle 79 and swings the lever 73 wardly, thus removing the dog T4 from the teeth The trame now swings downwardly under the action olf its own weight and that of the counterpoise 46, until the saw is brought into cont ct with the w rk. lt during` the operation of the saw blade material of undue hardness is encountered such that theA saw teeth lind ditliculty in cutting the same, it is evident that the drag upon the saw blade will be incii used with increased consumption of power. duch increase in power consumption manifests itself in increased tension upon the belt S0, and" consequently the upward component ot the belt tension is correspondinglf-J increased. Such increased component tends to resist further downward mor/emr. ot the saw trame under the action oi gravity and thus automatically decreases the working pressure between` the saw teeth and the material. rThe same eiiect is noted it material of very sott or tenacious quality is encountered or if the saw loses its set and thus under any such unusual conditions oit operation the saw pressure is automatically lieved whereby breakage or serious injury to the saw is in large measure avoided.

By the employment ot the universally mounted guide pulleys 55%, GO it is possible to .maintain the drivingI belt in proper operative relation thereto, regardless ot the position ot the saw supporting traine, but tor positively maintaining` the such pulley/is in the planes oit the runs ot the belt leading to and from the same, th directing deif'ices hcroinbeiiore desf fied are employed, its ie .runs ot bolt pass through the slots in such directiiur devices and as such slots lie at :i sld distance away Yfrom the pivotal mountingjf; oli' the pulleys., it is evident 't be runs oi: belt act with a considerabliV leverage upon such pulleys whereby posit t such pulleys in accordance with variations in the plane which the belts may during; the swinging,` ot the saw.. J trame. lly the employment oi. "he belt iding means hereinabove descriled. it is possible to secure proper driving ot the saw under all conditions oi'use and in a very simple and etective manner without the necessity tor einiiloyingr intermediate gearing` or other mechanism. the employment ot the deiices hereinbetore described, wherein the saw 'e au. imatically regulated, it is pos- `o do awry with mechanism such as eviously have been proposed. for controlng the feed motion ot' the saw and to seure in simple and effective manner the uesired and proper operative relationship ot the .vorl; and the operrttive instrumentality such as to regulate the working?,` pressure. lllhile a prz-iterred 'form of mechanism for carryii out the objects ci: tl Q invention has herein )riore been described m a specific meer, it is lear that various changes in details oi' construction as well as rearrangements and variations in proportion of parts eht well be made without departing' trom tue spii" ct the present invention.

Having' thus described the invention in a preferred embodiment of the same, what I claim is:

material working machine having thereon means to support the material, a aivotally supported trame, a material workngi instrumentality carried by said frame and movable in a plane inclined to that oi the trame, said instrumentality being movable toward and from the material, and an endle s flexible band constructed and arranged to actuate said instrumentality directly all operative positions thereof.

i2. material working machine having an elongated frame pivoted to swing about a. -ubstantially horizontal axis, a power driven maless, ilenibleblade mounted upon said -rame, and an endless belt for directly applying the driving power to said blade, said belt bom; guided by devices constructed and ariunfVH to permit the belt to be operative for drivin@` the blade yin all positions or the frame.

A material working machine comprising an elongated frame pivotally supported to swing' about a'predetermined axis, a bandsaw carried by said frame, and a power driven belt and guiding means therefor for directly actuating the saw, said guiding` means being constructed and arranged to permit the belt to actuate the saw in all positions of the frame. Y

4. A material working,` machine comprising' a pivotally supported frame7 a pulley carried by said trame adjacent to the pivotal axis thereof and rotatable about an aXis intersecting that of thel trame, a movable tool mounted upon the frame and receiving` its movement from said pulley, and a drive belt having' operative engagement with said pulley in all positions of the frame. v

5. iti machine or" the class described comprising a pivotally supported saw-carryingl frame, a saw actuating pulley mounted upon said trame, a pair ot guide pulleys supported pulley in any and a drive belt engaging said saw actuating pulley and said guide pulleys and operative to turn said actuating position of the frame.

(i. A material Working` machine comprising a tool, a swingingl frame for supporting the same, means carried by the frame for imparting movement to the tool, a guide pulley supported by saidframe at either side of the pivotal axis thereof, and a drive belt engaging the respective `guide pulleys and operative for driving said tool actuating means.

7. In a machine of the class described a tool supporting frame pivotally mounted to swing about a fixed axis, a pulley carried ,byv

by said frame,

' said frame and turnable about an axis intersecting the axis of the frame, guide pulleys arranged upon said frame at substantially equal distances upon opposite sides of its axis, and a drive belt engaging said pulleys.

8. A material Working machine comprising a tool supporting frame pivoted to turn about a fixed axis, a pulley carried by said frame and having its axis intersecting that of the frame, and a pivotally supported pulley arranged at either side of said fixed axis and constructed and arranged to guide a belt for driving said rst named pulley.

9. A machine for operating upon material comprising a tool supporting frame swingable about a fixed axis, a pulley mounted upon said frame and turnable about an axis substantially intersecting theax-is of the frame, and a universally movable guide pulley carried by the frame at substantially equal distances upon veither side ofthe axis thereof and constructed and.

arranged to guide a belt for driving said first named pulley.

10. In a machine of the class described, a frame pivotally supported to swing about a substantially horizontal axis, a bracket laterally outstanding from said frame at a point adjacent to and to onel side of its axis, said bracket having an opening there'- kprising a Work in, a lpivot pin loosely engaging said openmp; and having a loop.ad]acent one of itsy ends, a substantially U-shaped yoke havin; i an opening at its pivotally supported thereon to permit one end of the `same `to move toward and from the work support, a pulleyL mounted upon said frame to turn about an `axis intersecting that of the frame, a guide pulley mounted upon said frame at either side of the axis thereof, and a belt engaging; said first named pulley and said said belt being so constructedv and arranged that the tensioned run thereof engages that guide pulley nearest the Work support;

12. A material Working machine comprising a frame pivotally supported to swing about a fixed axis, a pulley mounted upon said frame and turnable about an axis in-` tersecting the axis of the frame, said pulley i having blade-engaging and belt-engaging guide pulleys` elements, a flexible endless blade engaging 'p the first of said elements, a drive belt engaging;V the second of said elements, and

means for vensuring; operative engagement of said belt with said belt-engaging element c driving pulley, respectively. Signed-by me at Springfield, Massachusetts, this 31st day of March, 1921.

LBYRON F. `sToWELL. I

'engaging said guide pulleys and said saw,`

SUPPOI, an elongated frame 

